1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a boat stanchion and to a method of fabricating such a stanchion, and more particularly to a boat stanchion formed of a single, continuous strand of fiberglass and thermosetting resin.
2. Prior Art
Stanchions are employed in small and medium size boats at spaced intervals around the periphery of the deck for supporting one or more lifelines which are equivalent to a railing in larger boats. Such stanchions are supported in an upright position and are generally provided with one or more holes for receiving such lifelines. The primary purpose of such stanchions and the lifelines they support is to assist an occupant of the boat to maintain his stability and to prevent such an occupant from falling overboard.
Prior known boat stanchions have consisted of either bronze or aluminum cast members or stainless steel tubing. In those stanchions which consist of castings, the holes therein are formed during the casting process. In stainless steel tubing stanchions, however, such holes are formed by first drilling through the tubing and placing a perforated insert, such as a holloe rivet, therein.
It can be appreciated that that portion of the above described boat stanchions which is perforated constitutes a weakening in the member. Forces are often imposed on the boat stanchion via the lifeline which it supports. Accordingly, such forces are imposed on the boat stanchion at its most weakened portion; namely, on the material which surrounds the hole through which the lifeline passes.
Because of this weakened portion, prior known boat stanchions will deform by bending or breaking at that point when sufficient force is applied thereto. If, for example, the boat stanchion is supporting two lifelines running parallel to one another and one's weight is thrown against the top lifeline or against the upper end of the stanchion with sufficient force to deform or break that portion which surrounds the hole through which the lower lifeline passes, the stanchion will not recover to its initial shape when the load is removed. When this occurs, the strength of the material which has deformed or fractured reduces considerably and the stanchion is incapable thereafter of supporting the same amount of weight. If such failure of the boat stanchion occurs, however, when it is attempting to support a body, it will completely collapse with the result being that the body will fall overboard. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that such failure of boat stanchions is highly undesirable from the standpoint of safety.
It would appear that the obvious solution to the above mentioned problem is to stiffen the stanchion, such as by increasing its physical dimensions. Unfortunately, such stiffening of the stanchion produces another problem which is generally more serious than the above mentioned problem.
Such boat stanchions are secured to the deck of a boat by a base member and a plurality of screw fasteners. If the flexibility of the stanchion is reduced, its ability to absorb energy is also reduced and, therefore, a force on the stanchion will be transferred in its entirety to the base. That is, such stiffening of the stanchion will decrease its ability to absorb striking forces. Accordingly, if a stanchion is stiffened sufficiently to increase its deforming resistance to a force of a certain magnitude, that same force will, under such stiffened conditions of the stanchion, cause damage to its base. Most likely under such conditions, the base will break and release the stanchion, or the screw fasteners will be torn from the decking.
Because of the adverse environmental conditions, such stanchions have been fabricated in the past from materials such as bronze, aluminum and stainless steel. Generally, the cost of fabricating stanchions of such materials is relatively high. Furthermore, it is desirable in most boats, and particularly sail boats, to lower the center of gravity by decreasing the weight above the deck. Stanchions, particularly those formed of bronze, are relatively heavy.